Life As It Comes
by ichiruki88
Summary: Ichigo has learned he is a shinigami and is getting lessons from Rukia. But will he learn in time to keep everyone safe?
1. Chapter 1

**AN- **So this is my first attempt at a fanfic. I am not too sure on it, so I would greatly appreciate reviews, be them good or bad. I am not sure if I am going to continue this, it may depend on how many reviews i get on this one. So please read and review.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or its characters.  
**

Ichigo lay in bed just staring at the ceiling. It was just another ordinary night in his recent life. Rukia had gone back to the seretei for some urgent business with Ukitake-tiachou. Nothing of course that she could discuss with him. He could not figure out what was wrong with her lately… there was definitely something going on and she was not having any part of him in on it.

Rukia stepped serenely through the senkaimon and into the reiatsu rich air. It felt like an eternity since she had last visited. There were sure to be some complaints from Renji, but she would deal with him after she took care of business with Ukitake-tiachou. He had said it was urgent, but would not divulge into details. She was utterly confused, but willing to meet any expectation that he had for her. He had done so much for her, she felt that she could never repay that debt, but she would do her best. She quickly stepped to shunpo to reach her beloved tiachou. He was in his office when she reached the thirteenth squad's barracks. Kotetsu Kiyone met her once she arrived at the barracks to take her to Ukitake-tiachou. Although nervous, Rukia knew that her tiachou would not mislead her and bring her back for something that was not absolutely necessary. They arrived fairly quickly at his office and Rukia was ushered in and Kiyone was asked to excuse herself and to make sure that there were no interruptions. Once alone, Ukitake-tiachou asked Rukia to have a seat. He finished the paperwork that he was working on and looked at Rukia in such a way that she never had seen.

"Central 46 has made a decision regarding Kurosaki Ichigo." Rukia started. That was the last thing that she was expecting. They had thought that Central 46 was going to take quite an extended amount of time to figure out how they wanted to handle his ever-growing reiatsu. For some reason, she was **very **anxious to hear what they had decided to be his fate.

Ichigo had drifted in and out of sleep for a while. It was very disturbed, uneasy sleep. He could not understand why, but he did not like the idea of Rukia having to leave all of the sudden to go and see her tiachou and know why. He decided to just brush it out of his mind for now and to get started on the small mountain of homework that Ochi-sensei had given them tonight.

"So what was their decision, Ukitake-tiachou?" Rukia asked with bated breath. For some reason, his expression of sorrow gave her a very uneasy feeling and Rukia hoped that it was just her anxiety making her believe that he looked almost mournful.

"Central 46 has taken a liking to the idea of destroying Ichigo's body and bringing him into the soul reapers academy to see how he does. They have not made the decision yet, but that is one that they are weighing very heavily. They know that a power like Kurosaki-san's is incredibly unique and they would like to develop it more. They would like to see him harness kido, hakuda, houhou, and zujutsu."

"But Ukitake-tiachou, how would they execute that order? In essence, all they would be doing is killing him, and I am not sure, but from the sound of it, that is really the last thing that could possibly be good for him. His family has already suffered the loss of their mother. Is Central 46 sure that is what they want to do? I am sure that he would be more than willing to work with the shinigami and Central 46"

Ukitake looked away painfully. He had not wanted to be the one to tell Rukia, but Kuchiki-tiachou had specifically asked for him to do it. Even though he wanted to say no, Byakuya was not a person that he wanted to argue with. So here he sat with the youngest Kuchiki, trying to figure out how to console the poor girl. He could tell that she was confused and angry with the decision that Central 46 was thinking of making.

Ichigo finally finished his homework and headed downstairs to find something for dinner. His family was out for the night. Karin had a soccer game and they were going to go to dinner afterwards. He thought of calling Sado and asking him to come and hang out. His house seemed very empty tonight, and all he could seem to think about was the fact that Rukia was not here to harass him. She had only been gone for a day and he could not figure out why, but he missed her… terribly… and that fact slightly irritated him. He knew that she had another life with her own work and business to attend to. He had no right to capitalize on her time… _'I wonder what could have been so important that she could not tell me? Since when have we grown so much apart? She used to tell me everything." _Ichigo could not help but get more upset at that thought.

"**Maybe she is finally done with you, King." **

"_Why would you think that?"_ Ichigo really did not want to have to deal with his hollow right now, especially since he did not know what was going on with Rukia.

"**She leaves and does not tell you why she is going, and don't think that I don't know that you guys have been drifting apart… It looks like your reign over her is almost over, King**"

"_I do not reign over her, and we are not drifting apart! You have no idea what you are talking about!"_ Ichigo tried to convince himself, but his hollow was possibly right. He was wrong in the fact that he reigned over Rukia, but he could be right. That scared the shit out of Ichigo…

"**We will see, King… we will definitely see in the end…"**

He had to be wrong, Ichigo knew that the Rukia he knew would not just abandon him. They had gone through too much together… At least that's what he thought. He would just have to wait for her to get back. However long that would be.

Let me know what you thought, so I can decide if i want to try to continue this story.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN-** Sorry, this has taken longer than I really wanted, but here it is. I have to warn you, I am a little worried about this one, it is my first fight scene, and I swear I rewrote it like 4 times. So this is the one that I finally settled on. I hope you guys like it.

Thank you to KurosakiLove and Blue And Brown Eyes. You guys made it worth it to even try to write it.

**Disclaimer- I don't own bleach, or its oc's. **

"**Wake up, King…"**

Ichigo sat strait up in a cold sweat. He looked to the small digital clock beside his bed.

"_What on earth do need to have to wake me up at 6 am?" _ He thought as he lay back down onto his pillow for hopefully a few more minutes sleep.

"**Don't you feel it? Or are you still struggling with sensing reiatsu?"**

Ichigo was getting upset now, "What the hell are you talking about?"

"**So either you can't feel it, or you do not want to, but there is a new reiatsu that has just entered through a senkiamon."**

"Why should that bother me? There is only one reiatsu I am waiting for and that one is not it."

"**But why would they send someone different, if she has been here for some time?"**

Ichigo was speechless… He knew that his hollow was right. There was definitely something weird about them sending a different soul reaper. "_Maybe there is just a stray hollow for this soul reaper to take care of. It would not be surprising considering the fact that I am not even able to get out of my body yet… if I will ever be able to." _ That thought kind of irritated him, but he tried to assure himself that it was ok, because even Rukia had to use her soul candy, but for some reason, it didn't help.

The red-headed fuku-tiachou stepped through the senkiamon and immediately located the reiatsu he was looking for. Kuchiki-tiachou had told him that Kurosaki Ichigo was a powerful human, but there was definitely something distinct about his reiatsu. It was an interesting sensation about it. He almost couldn't wait to see him at full power.

"_Be patient, Renji. You must remember that Kuchiki-tiachou just asked you to __**observe**__. However hard that may be. I just hope that he gives me a reason to make myself known to him."_

"Kuchiki, are you sure that it was the right decision to send Abarai to observe Kurosaki Ichigo? You know as well as I do that he makes rash decisions when he gets angry." Hitsugaya Toshiro questioned the solemn tiachou of squad six.

"Of course I am sure. Why would you question my judgment, Hitsugaya? I trust Abarai-san with my life. Of course he would be my first choice for such an important mission."

"I understand that you trust him Byakuya, but, you also have to admit that Abarai is a hot-head, and he often lets his temper get the best of him. I am also worried that he is going to want to see what Kurosaki Ichigo can really do, and cause a problem inten-

"That is not your place to decide, and if that does occur, I will personally deal with the punishment that will need to take place. Now if you will excuse me Hitsugaya, I have some business I must attend to."

"Very well then, Kuchiki, I am sorry to have disturbed you."

Ukitake-tiachou stood to make some tea. "Rukia, I don't think you need to completely worry yet, and if I am correct, Kuchiki-tiachou just sent Abarai Renji to the world of the living to observe Kurosaki Ichigo."

"Ukitake-tiachou, what do you mean they just sent Abarai-san to the world of the living? He is sure to provoke Ichigo and try to bring out the most of his power that he has so far! That is definitely not a good idea!"

"Rukia, calm down, Kuchiki-tiachou has informed me that he is willing to deal with any problems that arise from the situation, but from my understanding, he told Abarai that there had better **not** be any problems that arise from his mission to the world of the living."

"_I just hope that Renji can keep his temper in check… if not, we may all be in trouble…"_

"I understand tiachou."

Ichigo had been slightly keeping track of this new reiatsu while working around the house. Yuzu was in the kitchen making dinner while Karin was outside practicing. His dad was working late at the clinic again, so they were not sure when he was going to be home. There were some days that Ichigo would swear that his father lived at the clinic, but that was neither here nor there because they were more than capable of taking care of themselves. It made Ichigo's life easier when he was at work late, because then he could take care of the things he needed to without having to deal with his dad's flying kicks to the head, or the punches out of nowhere when he would enter a room. Gods, he hated that.

Renji had no idea why he was here to **observe** this Kurosaki Ichigo. As far as he could tell, this was just an ordinary kid that just happened to have an unusual amount of spiritual pressure. "_Why would my tiachou send me on such a boring mission? I am not even supposed to interact with this Kurosaki kid unless things get out of hand, and so far there is nothing! __**This is a**__**pointless mission!**_" The sooner that he could get back to the seretei and training the squad, the better.

"Rukia, I definitely think that Abarai will be ok in the world of the living. Things must be going ok so far, because I have not received any notice of any disturbances in the world of the living, and your brother is still in his office, so things must be ok for now."

"I know tiachou; I just worry a little too much."

"That's quite alright, Rukia. I think we have finished here for now. I just wanted to bring you in for an update and to see how things were going for you in the world of the living. I am going to send you back now, and I want you to do your best while you are there, for I fear that I am not able to tell you how long you are going to be stationed there. If Central 46 decides to put off a decision, or if they decide to leave Kurosaki Ichigo in the world of the living, you may be stationed in Karakura a little more permanently. I am sorry that this mission has taken a turn for the worse, Rukia."

"There is nothing to be sorry for, tiachou! I was and am ready to take this mission as far as need be. I just hope, for their sakes, that Central 46 makes a decision fairly quickly."

"I do as well, Rukia. Just report back to the world of the living and we will just wait and see what they decide. Like I said before, they may just decide to leave him in the world of the living and bring him here to negotiate his cooperation with the soul society, but there is nothing that we can do right now, so my suggestion would to be to head back and enjoy the time you have there, and hope for the best."

"Hai, Ukitake-tiachou! I will send a hell butterfly once I return." Rukia stated and turned to leave the room. She exited and abruptly found Kotetsu Kiyone about 5 feet from the door.

"Have you seen Abarai-fukutiachou anywhere around, Kotetsu-san?" Rukia asked with interest.

"Not since early this morning, Kuchiki-san. I heard that Kuchiki-tiachou sent him to the world of the living to do some research or something of that sort. Gomen-nasai, Kuchiki-san."

"You do not need to be sorry, I was just hoping to see him before I left. Wait, you said that he was sent to the world of the living?"

"I am not sure of that, but that is what I have heard. I would ask Kuchiki-tiachou to be sure."

"Arigato, Kotetsu-san. I believe that I may pay Kuchiki-tiachou a visit before I leave." With that, Rukia turned and left. "_What in the world is my brother thinking? Why on earth would he send Renji? He should know better, Renji on a good day, can't control his temper. How could Nii-sama do this to me? Does he not trust me? Or does he not trust Ichigo? It may be both, I am not sure, but I am going to find out."_

Just as she was fuming to herself, she found herself in front of her nii-sama's office door. She stood and debated whether or not to knock. On the one hand, she really wanted to find out why he had sent Renji. On the other hand, she felt that she really needed to get back to the world of the living to make sure that Renji had not killed Ichigo and made it look accidental.

Renji stood above Ichigo's home and looked down on the average home. There was nothing extraordinary about it. Though it seemed that there was more than one elevated reiatsu in the home. None seemed to be as strong as Ichigo's, but he was almost sure that there was at least one, if not two, elevated reiatsu in the home. So the question now became, did he tell Kuchiki-tiachou about the additional reiatsu, or should he just leave those ones alone?

"_I know that new reiatsu is close, but why? I have not sensed a hollow, and it just seems to be hanging out. Do I go and find out who is here, and why they are here, or should I just wait for Rukia to get back to talk to her about it? This is frustrating. I wish that Rukia was here..." _That was neither here nor there, and Ichigo knew it, but there was not a lot that he could do while she was gone to the seireitei, so there was no need for him to worry about it, because if it was a hollow, it would have attacked by now, and he did not need to stir up extra trouble. Especially since he could not get out of his body right now.

Rukia decided that she would try to resolve things with her nii-sama right now. She could not have him interfering with her right now. She really needed to focus on helping Ichigo train, and she knew that it would be virtually impossible if her nii-sama was going to have Renji checking up on her every 6 hours. She rapped on the door lightly and waited slightly anxiously for her nii-sama to aknowledge. It didn't take long.

"Come in" was heard from the other side of the door.

Rukia slowly slid open the door and gingerly stepped inside it.

Byakuya looked up from the paperwork that he was working on gazed at Rukia.

"May I speak to you nii-sama? I have a few questions for you."

"What is it, Rukia?" Byakuya asked with no emotional ties to his voice whatsoever.

Rukia hated that he never showed emotion, but she continued anyway.

"Nii-sama, why did you send Abarai-san to the world of the living? Do you not trust me to fulfill my mission? Or is it that you do not trust Kurosaki-san?

"Rukia, it is not that I do not trust you, I cannot say the same about Kurosaki Ichigo, but it is not at all that I do not trust you. I am merely interested in the Kurosaki child and wish to know more about him. Renji simply went to the world of the living to do the observation for me."

"I hope that's all that it is nii-sama. I hope you trust me to carry out my mission without interfering."

"Is that all that you wanted to speak with me about, Rukia?"

"Hai, nii-sama. Arigato."

"Now if you will excuse me, I have a lot of paperwork to finish."

Rukia hesitated, she felt that there was more to the subject than nii-sama was letting out, but knowing her nii-sama, she would not find out. He was always so guarded that she was never sure if he was telling her everything, but she knew there was not a lot she could do about it.

Rukia left his office feeling quite unsettled, but knowing she needed to get back to the world of the living before Renji got himself into trouble. Though, who knows, maybe for once he would just follow orders and not cause trouble...

Renji suddenly sensed a hollow enter the near the area.

"_Finally! Some action! I was getting seriously bored. Hopefully it will keep me busy for a little while."_

Little did he know, that as he stepped to shunpo, a senkaimon opened and Rukia stepped out.

"_Where on earth is that idiot at? He should have been somewhere in this immediate area." _No sooner had she thought that she sensed his reiatsu spike on the other end of town...

"There he is. Shit... he is fighting a hollow, and if I would have had some self-control, and just came back instead of going to talk to nii-sama I could have taken care of it."

Little did either of them realize, was that the hollow they were about to face was grand fisher! The soul society had known that he had been in hiding in the world of the living, but none of the guard shinigami were ever able to find him. He had eluded the soul society for nearly 55 years, and he figured it was a good time to see if the soul society had improved their training or if he was going to get another good meal. He had made due on human souls, but what he really wanted were shinigami souls, and there were conveniently 2 in the immediate area, and one extraordinarily powerful soul that was not too far from them. Fisher laughed lightly, this was going to be too easy he thought.

Rukia finally caught up to Renji and they ran in unison.

"Renji, what is the deal with this hollow? It is a lot stronger than any recent hollows that I have detected in the area."

"I could not tell you, but I have a feeling that this is not going to be as easy as I thought."

They finally came face to face with fisher. Immediately, they knew who they were up against and a chill ran down Rukia's back. She had heard of Grand Fisher, but had never expected to encounter him here.

"Stand back, Rukia. This is going to be easy."

Grand Fisher laughed at Renji. "You seem awfully confident, soul reaper! What makes you think that you can defeat me? I have eaten soul reapers **twice **your size, with **twice **your reiatsu!"

"That is going to stop! I'll defeat you now, and your terror streak on earth will end!" With that Renji rushed toward Grand Fisher with Zabimaru in his shikai stage thinking that shikai would be all that he needed.

"**You stupid fucking soul reaper! You would need at least twice the power that you have now to even touch me!"** Grand Fisher roared as he easily threw Renji over 200 yards away from him.

Renji landed hard in the middle of a building 4 or 5 some odd blocks away. "_Fuck! He is fast considering how big he is! This may be more difficult than I thought. That ok, that will make it more interesting of a fight. At least it is enough to keep me busy."_

Rukia pulled her soul phone out and flipped it open and put it to her ear. She needed to get the souls taken care of in the surrounding area.

"Yes, Miss Kuchiki?" Was heard on the other end of the phone.

"I need an area freeze around Renji Abarai of 100 units. And do not forget that our top priority is to protect any souls that may get tangled up in this particular affair."

"Not a problem, Miss Kuchiki... It is finished."

Rukia closed the phone and turned back to Renji. _"You are in for one hell of a fight, you idiot."_

Ichigo woke up suddenly, something was going on. He had been checking in on the reiatsu that had appeared yesterday and now that reiatsu was in battle with what he thought could be a hollow, but Ichigo had never felt a hollow with that powerful of a reiatsu. "_Rukia is there too! When did she get back? Why did she not come here first? Where are they at? Across town somewhere... can I get there to help in time? _**_Can I even help?_**_" _Ichigo was giving himself a headache with all of these questions. _"_I will just wait for her to come to me. I am not trained well enough yet to actually help, so I would probably just be in the way." He hated having to accept that, but he knew until he had more control over his power, there was nothing he could do.

Renji stepped to shunpo to close the gap between himself and Grand Fisher. "So you are brave enough to come and try again, soul reaper? This may be more fun than I thought it was going to be..."

"Roar! Zabimaru!" Renji yelled as his whip-like zanpakuto swung out toward Grand Fisher. Fisher reached up to block it, but was a second too late and Zabimaru sliced right through his arm as if it was not even there. The hollow shrieked with pain.

"**Now I have to kill you!" **Fisher yelled trying to subdue the pain from losing his arm. He threw his lure-like tentacle at Renji and missed, nearly hitting Rukia. She seen it coming and still barely missed getting hit. "_That _**_idiot _**_better finish this fight quickly before someone really gets hurt... or he slips up..._" Rukia thought angrily. She was getting very angry because she had a feeling that Renji was just fooling around and not taking this seriously. Little did she know that the fight was about to take a turn for the worse.

Renji, having seen the tentacle almost hit Rukia, had turned around to see that she was ok. Fisher took advantage of his momentary lapse in defense and grabbed Renji and slammed him into the ground, creating a cloud of dust surrounding a crater. Fisher laughed, "That is what happens when you turn your back on me."

Then all of the sudden, Zabimaru roared out of the cloud and struck Fisher in the chest just to the left of the hole in his chest. The hollow roared in pain as he tumbled and rolled backward. He finally stopped about 100 feet back and found his feet, blood pouring from his chest.

"**You stupid-**

Before he could finish his sentence, he was struck in the neck with Zabimaru, and he fell to his knees in pain. Renji then swung Zabimaru around again and brought him strait down the middle of his forehead. Then out of nowhere, an enormous gate appeared and opened just enough to pull Grand Fisher in. The two shinigami watched as Grand Fisher was pulled in. Renji walked over to Rukia, bleeding profusely from is head and several other deep gashes left in his body.

"We need to get you cleaned up, Renji."

"Yeah, I feel like shit."

"Come on, we can take you back to the clinic at Ichigo's house."

**AN-** Well, there it is. Please review so I know what needs improvement or what you thought was good! Thanks for reading!


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